Improved invalid-bedstead



r. a, W W i il@ d l/.,

W, Www 1 D s WM, W/ .WA

feg@

"-PETERS. HOYO-UINOGNPNER. WABNINGTQN, D. C.

'UNITED STATES ATENT Finch:u

LEONARD J. OHNSON, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, CHARLES BfSTODDER, AND HARVEY CHAPMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVED INVALID-BEDSTEAD.

To all persons to 'whom these presents may come:

Be it known that I, LEONARD J. JOHNSON, of Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have made a new and useful invention having reference to Bedst-eads for Invalids; and I do hereby declare the same to'be fully described in the following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- -y edge to one of the transverse slats C, as shown at a a, has at the middle of its upper edge a bar, D, pendent from and hinged to it. The said bar D extends down between two ears, b b, projecting inward from the head-rail c. At the lower end of the bar one end of a belt, E, is fastened, the said belt being wound around and attached atits opposite end to apulley, d, fixed onthe operative shaft c, which goes through the two ears b b and two brackets, 'm n, secured to the front rail, j', of the bedstead, and is supported thereby so as to be 'capable of being revolved therein. Encompassing the 'shaft e is a short tubular shaft, g, provided with a ratchet, h. Thereis` also such a ratchet, t', xed on the shaft e, there `being a retaining-pawl, lc or Z, to each of such ratchets.4 These pawls are pivoted to the brackets m a, extending from the bedstead in manner as represented. A crank, o, having j two projections, pp, extended from it, revolves on the shaft e, such projections being to enter corresponding holes q q made in or through the outer ratchet, such projections and holes constituting what is termed a clutch. Furthermore, there is a spring, r, arranged on or about the shaft e, and so as to act against the crank and slide it on the shaft and into engagement with a clutch-stud, s, the same being so as to disengage the crank from the outer 'ratchet and engage such crank with the shaft c. The crank has formed in it a notch or recess, fr, for the reception of the stud s', such being as shown in Fig. 5, which is a frontv view of the crank. The said notch and the said stud s constitute the other clutch of the crank, the two clutches being for the purpose of enabling the crank to be pnt in engagement with either of the shafts c g, and so -when engaged to be put out of engagement with the other of such shafts, thereby enabling a single crank to be used for effecting the rotary motion of either shaft as occasion may require, A- screw-nut, t, screwed on a screw, s', made on the shaft e and against the crank, serves while being screwed up to force the crank into engagement with the outer ratchet.

By unscrewing the nut the spring r will move the crank into engagement with the shaft e. Thus it will be seen that by means of the spring, the clutch, the screw-nut, and the screw on which it is screwed, the crank may be thrown into engagement with either of the shafts e or g.

When in engagement with the shaft e the crank will be out of engagement with the shaft g, and may be employed to pnt such shaft e in revolution. SO when the crank is in engagement with the other ratchet the shaft g may be revolved by the crank, and the shaft e will be at rest. Aline or rope, u, is fastened to the shaft g and wound around it, such line being extended about guide-wheels v fu at the foot of the bedstead. From the inner of such guide-wheels the rope is extended and fastened to an arm, fw, projecting down from a leg-rest Or supporting-frame, E', which is hinged to the two side rails of the bedstead, and also to another leg-rest or frame, F, which usually rests on such rails. G Gr, connected to the opposite side rails by staples going through eyes of the rods and driven into the rails', hook into staples or eyes H inserted in the frame F. Each of the rods G when hooked to the frame F stands parallel or about so to the frame E', and serves to hold the front of the frame F in a raised position off the bedstead-rails when Two hooked rods,

the frame E is thrown up into an inclined position.

From the above it will be' seen that we can either raise or lower the back-rest or the legframes E' F by revolving the single crank, which, preparatory thereto, should be clutched to one or the other of the shafts e g, as occasion may require.

The back-frame will be maintained at any desirable inclination by its ratchet and pawl, and the same may be said with reference to the Iegframe E.

The rods Gr Gr, when applied to the frame F, will hold it in an elevated position, so that when the thigh of a patient, while he may be on the bed, may be elevated into an inclined position, or be in such, and be in the act of being lowered, the rest of the leg may be supported in a horizontal, or nearly horizontal, position, thus rendering it easier for the patient or better for a surgeon or nurse to gain access to the leg for many purposes than would be the case were that part of the leg which is below the knee to be inclined.

I make no claim to the combination of the back-rest and legsupportin g frames with a bedstead.

What I claim as my invention is as follows, v1z:

I claim the combination and arrangement of the operative spring r, screw s', and nut t, and the clutches, as described, with the single crank o and the main and auxiliary shafts e and g, combined with the back-rest and legframe by means or mechanism for operating them, substantially as set forth.

LEONARD J. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

ED. H. THOMAS, JNO. T. HART. 

